The Philatelic Database – Archive of Stamp Collecting Articles

Originally published in “The Railway Magazine” in March 1898, this article gives a fascinating insight into railway activities and life in Japan at the close of the nineteenth century.

The Railroad Post Office cars were fixtures on many U.S. passenger trains from the 1860s through 1967.

The following article was first published in the “Oxford Junior Encyclopaedia” (1957) and is a sound introduction to the various different railway systems around the world at the time.

This historic picture postcard was prepared for the 1933 Century of Progress Exhibition in Chicago.

Railway stamps may be divided into three classes, namely, Newspaper, Parcels, and Letter. The newspaper stamps were the first to make their appearance, for as far back as July, 1855, five companies adopted the use of these labels

This article was first published by John N. McClintock and Company, Boston 1884. Thomas P. Cheney was Superintendent New England Division United States Railway Mail Service.

The following rare account of Chinese TPOs by Chu Tong was first published in 1983.

Norfolk Southern Mail Train 21J

On September 20, 2008 Illinois Railway Museum presented a day dedicated to the Railway Mail Service and Railway Post Office cars. Back in the day, mail was not only carried by rail but in some cases was sorted enroute aboard Railway Post Office cars or cars with an RPO compartment. Since some trains didn’t stop [...]